ST Kinetics, NI to test autonomous systems

ST Kinetics will collaborate with National Instruments Singapore (NI) to develop capabilities to test autonomous vehicle (AVs) systems and solutions in Singapore, the company announced on 5 December.

ST Kinetics will integrate NI’s hardware and software, such as sensors and LIDAR technology, to establish a testing system that will form the basis of testing requirements and standards for the deployment of AVs in Singapore.

Among the first AVs to be tested will be currently-under-development autonomous buses for the Land Transport Authority and Sentosa's mobility-on-demand shuttles for intra-island travel. The test system can also be extended to other autonomous platforms such as forklifts and autonomous mobile robots.

The testing framework will encompass both functional and safety systems that determine the behaviour of AVs, including braking distance, obstacle avoidance, and system performance under various road and weather conditions.

When developing the set of test requirements for AVs, ST Kinetics will focus on simulating realistic operating scenarios, such as under adverse weather conditions. The company recently unveiled Singapore’s first rain simulator at the CETRAN Autonomous Vehicle Test Centre. The rain simulator can test the manoeuvrability and response of AVs under various rain conditions, from light rain to heavy thunderstorms.

Tan Peng Kuan, EVP of Singapore Business, ST Kinetics, said: ‘It is imperative that the AV testing capabilities keep pace with the overall AV development. A rigorous testing system will ensure reliability, performance and safety when the AVs are deployed on the roads.

‘This is in line with the objective of the Singapore Autonomous Vehicles Consortium to develop AV standards and to accelerate the adoption of AV technologies in Singapore.’